LG has recently been catering for the cash conscious buyer and the release of the LG Pop is clear evidence of this. The Pop is probably the cheapest touch screen smartphone ever; and with a full touch control interface and social network integration, it really is a smartphone. No it may not have a huge powerful operating system, and no CPU is not that big, but LG has managed to cram in quite a lot of smartphone technology for a very low production cost.
As looks go, the Pop is impressively pleasing and the colorful UI looks bright and vibrant on the 3.0 inch 240 x 400 (WQVGA) pixel display. The resistive touch receptive screen allows users to gracefully glide from one application to the next quite smoothly and as the device is reasonably compact (97.8 x 49.5 x 11.2mm) it is very pocketable and palm friendly. Noticeably there is only one button benefit the screen; it can be used as the primary action button, along with call and end functions.
With the majority of smartphones today, the UI can be quite fiddly with intricate menus and sub-menus all over the place, but LG has supplied the Pop with a very simple swipe and tap 3-way interface and iPhone style menus, perfect for smartphone newbie's or the technologically challenged, like my mother. LG has also included there LiveSquare feature which is a glorified call log and contacts interface. From ere you are presented with various avatars which represent contacts and each one can be interacted with via the touch screen.
The LG Pop can be set up to handle various e-mail accounts from multiple providers; also social networking has been covered by a dedicated application which enables you to handle MySpace, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Along with the standard support for SMS and MMS messaging, LG has supplied a full web browser supported by EDGE Quad Band (850/900/1800/1900) which covers all of your online activities including social networking and gaming.
LG have thrown in an efficient little 3MP digital camera system; it delivers all the tools needed for general day-to-day snapping and QVGA 10fps video recordings, the camera loads up quite quickly and you get a nice, full screen viewfinder. The Pop has a Muvee Studio application which can be used to create slideshows, but pictures can also be viewed in basic gallery mode. The video player is capable of playing MPEG-4 files in 320 x 240 pixel resolution, while the music player hosts a very nice interface and plays back via the phones in-built loudspeakers or the wireless Bluetooth headsets. FM radio is also supported for users who like to be up to date with there favorite channels and shows.
LG has delivered a pretty strong candidate for the most affordable touch screen smartphone ever. The Pop is devoted to cash conscious buyers who require touch screen technology and mobile social networking. This device is well sized and well designed with stylish being an appropriate word, the minimalistic features and curved edges give the phone a fashionable, reliable frame. The tasteful interface is incredibly user friendly while the price tag will not heart your wallet.